(Newser)
–
The election of a relatively young black man to the presidency carries obvious historical significance—but beyond the symbolism, John F. Harris and Jim VandeHei write for Politico, last night marked one of the most momentous political transformations in modern American history. The rout of the Republican party means that Barack Obama will be the most powerful Democratic president since LBJ ushered in the Great Society.

Obama's post-partisan message notwithstanding, the Dems now "have the capital in a headlock," which will transform the composition of everything from the courts to the civil service. And it's not just Washington that will never be the same; politics itself has been revolutionized. Whereas only four years ago the legacy of Vietnam sank John Kerry, today, "the 1960s are over—finally."